Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
22 May 2018 Photo Supplied
Gosego Moroka recipient of the 2017 Abe Bailey Travel Bursary
Gosego Moroka, recipient of the 2017 Abe Bailey Travel Bursary.

Gosego Moroka, who employs an epitome of un-conventionalism towards his preferred tastes in life, represented the University of the Free State (UFS) on the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary tour in the UK in December 2017. He, alongside 16 other candidates from various tertiary institutions in South Africa, took heed of this opportunity of a lifetime.

The Abe Bailey Trust is a prestigious bursary awarded to young South Africans that focuses on leadership development. Trustees award bursaries to persons with a strong academic record who have shown exceptional qualities of leadership and service to their designated tertiary institutions. “I am someone who is ultracompetitive, and I always look to improve and challenge myself,” said final-year LLB Law student and 2017 UFS-Abe Bailey candidate, Gosego.

Gosego has represented the UFS in Amsterdam, in collaboration with the F1 Leadership for Change programme. He also formed part of the Global Leadership Summit, the University Scholars Leadership Symposium at the United Nations in Bangkok, Thailand, and served as the Community Service Director for the Golden Key – UFS Chapter, and developed and led the Mandela Day Community Service Project. 

Gosego’s tour with fellow bursary holders kicked off in Cape Town, where they visited Robben Island. They then travelled to Ethiopia, and visited the African Union, which he described as “state of the art.” Their next destination saw them in London where he visited the Houses of Parliament, as well as Westminster Abbey. Gosego attended plays including Matilda, and The Lion King, which he deemed culturally significant. The city of Bath, however, stood out as the highlight of his trip. He described it as the most exquisite place on earth. Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace was also on their list of adventures. The group then travelled to Scotland where they toured Edinburgh, which Gosego described as one of the coldest places he had ever visited.

Gosego encourages students to be as genuine as possible when applying for the award. He also added that a big part of success as an individual results from who you surround yourself with. He further urges aspiring ‘Abes’ to mix with people who affirm their dreams.

News Archive

UFS Dean scoops prestigious award for analysis of book of Malachi
2017-05-15

Description: Prof Fanie Snyman book Tags: Prof Fanie Snyman book

Willem Louw, Chairperson of the UFS Council;
Dr Khotso Mokhele , Chancellor of the UFS,
Eleanor van der Westhuizen, from the Directorate
of Research Development; Prof Francis Petersen,
UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector; Prof Fanie Snyman,
Dean of the Faculty of Theology; and
Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research.
Photo: Johan Roux

The most sought-after award at the UFS, the annual Book Prize for Distinguished Scholarship, was recently won by Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion. His book, Malachi, which is about the last book of the Old Testament, has received acknowledgement through this award. He is the third academic to be awarded this prize. The book was published in English by Peeters Publishers in Belgium as part of the ”Historical Commentary on the Old Testament” series with a view to an international audience, and can be used by theology scholars and academics.

Labour of love over many years
Prof Snyman has a long history with the Bible book of Malachi. Since his student years, this book in the so-called ‘Minor Prophets’ of the Old Testament had a special charm for him. In fact, Prof Snyman has produced several publications on this concise book of 55 verses over the years. Furthermore, his doctoral thesis, as well as several papers delivered at congresses, also had this book as the theme. It took Prof Snyman about a decade to write the book.

What lies ahead for him in the future? “I am closing the book Malachi for the time being,” says Prof Snyman. “However, my research on the ‘Minor Prophets’ will continue. As a result of Malachi, InterVarsity Press in Cambridge contacted me for the writing of a book in another international commentary series, this time on the books Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.” Prof Snyman will use his prize money of R75 000 towards this goal.

Book prize a surprise
“I can sincerely say that I did not expect the award at all. I did not know which other excellent research was submitted and thought that research from another discipline might do better. Therefore, I was completely surprised when my book was announced as the winner, and it left me speechless at the moment!” says a modest Prof Snyman.

He adds: “I am sincerely grateful for this award, but I must also thank the university. I would like to express my appreciation for the academic milieu, financial support, as well as overseas travel opportunities that have enabled me to complete the book and achieve this award.”
 
Book review by international expert
Prof Rainer Kessler, a world-renowned expert on the Bible book of Malachi, said in a review of Malachi: “The commentary on Malachi in the renowned Historical Commentary on the Old Testament series is the fruit of decades of studies on the book. [It] is full of respect towards the text. [Prof] Snyman is very cautious in his judgements and decisions. He rather presents different possibilities than uttering one-sided positions. [Finally, he] treats others always in a very fair manner. He presents their opinions as objectively as possible, especially when he does not agree. This commentary is a new and very useful tool for the study on the often underestimated last book of the Old Testament prophets.”

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept